Human PEG3 gene and uses thereof

ABSTRACT

The invention provides isolated nucleic acid (SEQ ID NO:9) encoding human PEG3 (paternally expressed gene 3), and the use of the nucleic acid in diagnostic assays.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to the human PEG3 gene and its use.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

[0002] The human gene PEG3 (paternally expressed gene 3) is a zinc finger protein which is believed to act as a transcription factor. The murine homologue of this gene, Peg3, has been found to play a role in maternal behaviour, thermoregulation and weight regulation. Studies of mice in which the gene has been inactivated show that such mice have a tendency to become obese, and females of the species exhibit poor maternal behaviour.

[0003] Kim et al, (Genomics 64, 114-118, (2000)) describe a schematic layout of the exon structure of the human PEG3 gene. They indicate that the first seven exons of PEG3 are shared with another gene, ZIM2, whose remaining four exons are located downstream of the final two exons of PEG3. Amino acid sequences of exons 3-7 are described. Genbank accession number AC006115 provides genomic sequence of a region, which includes at least part of the PEG3 gene. The Genbank entry provides a proposed translation of a region of the gene, which, in the light of the present invention, we have determined is part of the C-terminus of exon 9 of PEG3.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

[0004] In order to facilitate study of PEG3, a complete cDNA clone is desirable. Prior to the present invention, the full open reading frame of PEG3 was unknown.

[0005] In a first aspect, the present invention is based on the provision of a cDNA structure which includes a complete exon 8 of PEG3, together and spliced to it at the 5′ junction with exon 7 and at the 3′ junction at least part of exon 9. Assembly of this clone with the remainder of exons 3-7 and 9 provides the full open reading frame of PEG3 for the first time.

[0006] Thus in a first aspect, the invention provides an isolated cDNA having the sequence of SEQ ID NO:1.

[0007] In another aspect, the invention provides an isolated cDNA fragment of SEQ ID NO:1, said fragment being selected from the group SEQ ID NO:2-8.

[0008] In a further aspect, the invention provides an isolated cDNA having the sequence of SEQ ID NO:9.

[0009] In another aspect, the invention provides an isolated cDNA having the sequence of SEQ ID NO:13.

[0010] The invention further provides the use of these and other nucleic acids for the expression of PEG3 protein, or portions thereof, and in assay and diagnostic methods.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011]FIG. 1 shows the raw data produced from the seven sequence reactions of seven clones obtained by PCR amplification of placental cDNA using the primers HFL1 (SEQ ID NO:23) and HFL2 (SEQ ID NO:24), together with an alignment of the these clones to show how sequence SEQ ID NO:1 was arrived at. In FIG. 1, those of skill in the art will recognise that the sequence includes EcoR1 linkers.

SUMMARY OF SEQ ID NOS.

[0012] SEQ ID NO:1 is the cDNA sequence of FIG. 1, excluding the EcoR1 linker sequence, which those of skill in the art will immediately appreciate are a result of the PCR cloning process, and not of natural origin.

[0013] SEQ ID NOs:2-8 are the sequences of individual clones which were used to determine SEQ ID NO:1. As with SEQ ID NO:1, these also exclude RI linker sequences. SEQ ID NOs:6-8 are presented and listed in the opposite orientation to which they were sequenced, in order to align them with SEQ ID NOs:2-5.

[0014] SEQ ID NO:9 is the full open reading frame of PEG3 cDNA, together with 363 nucleotides of the 5′ untranslated region. The ORF is from 364 to 4755, with 4756-4758 being the stop codon TGA. Exon 8 of PEG3 (SEQ ID NO:13) is at 761-853 of SEQ ID NO:9.

[0015] SEQ ID NO:10 is the translation of the full open reading frame of SEQ ID NO:9.

[0016] SEQ ID NO:11 is the opposite (sense) strand of SEQ ID NO:1.

[0017] SEQ ID NO:12 is the translation of SEQ ID NO:11.

[0018] SEQ ID NO:13 is exon 8 of PEG3.

[0019] SEQ ID NO:14 is the translation of SEQ ID NO:13.

[0020] SEQ ID NOs:15-22 are the sequences shown in FIG. 1, i.e. including R1 linker sequences.

[0021] SEQ ID NO:23 is the 5′ primer (HFL1) used to clone SEQ ID NO:1.

[0022] SEQ ID NO:24 is the 3′ primer (HFL2) used to clone SEQ ID NO:1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION.

[0023] In addition to SEQ ID NO:1, the invention provides further novel DNA and RNA sequences. These are collectively referred to as “nucleic acid(s)” or “polynucleotide(s)” of the invention. These terms are used interchangeably and are equivalent. Nucleic acids of the invention may be single or double stranded.

[0024] Thus the invention provides fragments of SEQ ID NO:1, particularly fragments corresponding to the complement of 761-853 of SEQ ID NO:9 and subportions thereof. Such subportions may be at least 15, preferably at least 20, preferably at least 25, more preferably at least 50 nucleotides in length. Such fragments may be cloned into suitable vectors including expression vectors or may be isolated as double or single strand nucleic acids and used as probes. Subportions in the range of 15 to 30, such as 15 to 25 nucleotides in length may be provided in single stranded form and are useful as probes and primers, particularly PCR primers. PCR primers may additionally comprise, usually at their 5′ end, a linker sequence providing a restriction endonuclease recognition site, facilitating cloning of a PCR amplified product.

[0025] SEQ ID NO:1 of the present invention can be obtained by using the primers HFL1 (SEQ ID NO:23) and HFL2 (SEQ ID NO:24) as PCR primers on a sample of mRNA or cDNA from a suitable human cell source. Placental mRNA or cDNA is particularly useful, though other cell sources include brain, ovary, testis, heart and pancreas. mRNA may be isolated from placental material. cDNA libraries from cell sources including placenta are available commercially, for example from CLONTECH.

[0026] PCR may be performed under standard conditions, which are well known in the art.

[0027] Nucleic acid of the invention may be cloned into a suitable vector, preferably a vector with a unique EcoR1 site. pUC vectors and derivatives thereof are particularly suitable for this purpose, such as the pBS SKII(+) vector from Stratagene.

[0028] The nucleic acids of the invention may also be cloned into expression vectors in an orientation so as to provide for expression of the cDNA encoding all or part of PEG3 protein.

[0029] For expression of SEQ ID NO:1 or other nucleic acids of the invention, the nucleic acid sequence will be operably linked in-frame to a promoter to provide for transcription of the sequence. The term “operably linked” refers to a juxtaposition wherein the components described are in a relationship permitting them to function in their intended manner. A control sequence “operably linked” to a coding sequence is ligated in such a way that expression of the coding sequence is achieved under conditions compatible with the control sequences.

[0030] Suitable vectors can be chosen or constructed, containing appropriate regulatory sequences, including promoter sequences, terminator fragments, polyadenylation sequences, enhancer sequences, marker genes and other sequences as appropriate. Vectors may be plasmids, viral e.g. ‘phage phagemid or baculoviral, cosmids, YACs, BACs, or PACs as appropriate. Vectors include gene therapy vectors, for example vectors based on adenovirus, adeno-associated virus, retrovirus (such as HIV or MLV) or alpha virus vectors.

[0031] The vectors may be provided with an origin of replication, optionally a promoter for the expression of the said polynucleotide and optionally a regulator of the promoter. The vectors may contain one or more selectable marker genes, for example an ampicillin resistance gene in the case of a bacterial plasmid or a neomycin resistance gene for a mammalian vector. Vectors may be used in vitro, for example for the production of RNA or used to transfect or transform a host cell. The vector may also be adapted to be used in vivo, for example in methods of gene therapy. Systems for cloning and expression of a polypeptide in a variety of different host cells are well known. Suitable host cells include bacteria, eukaryotic cells such as mammalian and yeast, and baculovirus systems. Mammalian cell lines available in the art for expression of a heterologous olypeptide include Chinese hamster ovary cells, HeLa cells, baby hamster kidney cells, COS cells and many others.

[0032] Promoters and other expression regulation signals may be selected to be compatible with the host cell for which the expression vector is designed. For example, yeast promoters include S. cerevisiae GAL4 and ADH promoters, S. pombe nmtl and adh promoter. Mammalian promoters include the metallothionein promoter which can be induced in response to heavy metals such as cadmium. Viral promoters such as the SV40 large T antigen promoter or adenovirus promoters may also be used. All these promoters are readily available in the art.

[0033] The vectors may include other sequences such as promoters or enhancers to drive the expression of the inserted nucleic acid, nucleic acid sequences so that the polypeptide is produced as a fusion and/or nucleic acid encoding secretion signals so that the polypeptide produced in the host cell is secreted from the cell.

[0034] Vectors may also include sequences which encode reporter genes such as β-galactosidase, which genes are fused in-frame to the nucleic acid of the invention.

[0035] Vectors for production of polypeptides of the invention of for use in gene therapy include vectors which carry a mini-gene sequence of the invention.

[0036] For further details see, for example, Molecular Cloning: a Laboratory Manual: 2nd edition, Sambrook et al., 1989, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press. Many known techniques and protocols for manipulation of nucleic acid, for example in preparation of nucleic acid constructs, mutagenesis, sequencing, introduction of DNA into cells and gene expression, and analysis of proteins, are described in detail in Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, Ausubel et al. eds., John Wiley & Sons, 1992.

[0037] Vectors may be transformed into a suitable host cell as described above to provide for expression of a polypeptide of the invention. Thus, in a further aspect the invention provides a process for preparing polypeptides according to the invention which comprises cultivating a host cell transformed or transfected with an expression vector as described above under conditions to provide for expression by the vector of a coding sequence encoding the polypeptides, and recovering the expressed polypeptides. Polypeptides may also be expressed in in vitro systems, such as reticulocyte lysate.

[0038] Polynucleotides according to the invention may also be inserted into the vectors described above in an antisense orientation in order to provide for the production of antisense RNA or ribozymes.

[0039] A still further aspect of the present invention provides a method which includes introducing the nucleic acid into a host cell. The introduction, which may (particularly for in vitro introduction) be generally referred to without limitation as “transformation”, may employ any available technique. For eukaryotic cells, suitable techniques may include calcium phosphate transfection, DEAE-Dextran, electroporation, liposome-mediated transfection and transduction using retrovirus or other virus, e.g. vaccinia or, for insect cells, baculovirus. For bacterial cells, suitable techniques may include calcium chloride transformation, electroporation and transfection using bacteriophage. As an alternative, direct injection of the nucleic acid could be employed.

[0040] The introduction may be followed by causing or allowing expression from the nucleic acid, e.g. by culturing host cells (which may include cells actually transformed although more likely the cells will be descendants of the transformed cells) under conditions for expression of the gene, so that the encoded polypeptide is produced. If the polypeptide is expressed coupled to an appropriate signal leader peptide it may be secreted from the cell into the culture medium. Following production by expression, a polypeptide may be isolated and/or purified from the host cell and/or culture medium, as the case may be, and subsequently used as desired, e.g. in the formulation of a composition which may include one or more additional components, such as a pharmaceutical composition which includes one or more pharmaceutically acceptable excipients, vehicles or carriers (e.g. see below).

[0041] A further aspect of the present invention provides a host cell containing nucleic acid as disclosed herein. The cells will be chosen to be compatible with the said vector and may for example be bacterial, yeast, insect or mammalian. The nucleic acid of the invention may be integrated into the genome (e.g. chromosome) of the host cell. Integration may be promoted by inclusion of sequences which promote recombination with the genome, in accordance with standard techniques. The nucleic acid may be on an extra-chromosomal vector within the cell.

[0042] Cell lines may be used in a method for assaying a putative modulator of PEG3 (e.g. a modulator of body weight, thermoregulation, etc), which method comprises bringing a putative modulator into contact with the cell line and determining the effect of said modulator on transcription, translation or mRNA or protein turnover of a nucleic acid or expressed polypeptide of the invention. Modulators may also be examined for their effects on translocation and DNA binding of PEG3. Modulators which have an effect on this may be used as modulators of PEG3.

[0043] Nucleic acids of the invention, particularly when in the form of a recombinant vector, may be used in methods of gene therapy. A construct capable of expressing a nucleic acid of the invention may be introduced into cells of a recipient by any suitable means, such that a PEG3 polypeptide of the invention is expressed in the cells.

[0044] The construct may be introduced in the form of naked DNA, which is taken up by some cells of animal subjects, including muscle cells of mammalians. In this aspect of the invention the construct will generally be carried by a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier alone. The construct may also be formulated in a liposome particle.

[0045] Such methods of gene therapy further include the use of recombinant viral vectors such as adenoviral or retroviral vectors which comprise a construct capable of expressing a polypeptide of the invention. Such viral vectors may be delivered to the body in the form of packaged viral particles.

[0046] Constructs of the invention, however formulated and delivered, may be for use in treating conditions brought about by a defect in the PEG3 locus. The construct will comprise nucleic acid encoding PEG3 linked to a promoter capable of expressing the gene in the target cells. The constructs may be introduced into cells of a human or non-human mammalian recipient either in situ or ex-vivo and reimplanted into the body. Where delivered in situ, this may be by for example injection into target tissue(s) or in the case of liposomes, inhalation.

[0047] Gene therapy methods are widely documented in the art and may be adapted for use in the expression of a polypeptide of the invention. See for example WO95/14091 and Walther, Molecular Biotechnology, 6(3): 267-286, (1996) and Blomer, Human Molecular Genetics, Vol.5: 1397-1404, (1996), the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0048] Human PEG3 nucleic acid sequences of the invention may be used in methods of gene therapy, to increase or, in the form of antisense nucleic acid, decrease, the expression of PEG3 in cells of a human patient. Such therapy may be used to modify or control body weight and/or thermoregulation in the patient. Nucleic acid may be delivered to cells such as adipose tissue in the patient where expression may be particularly desired.

[0049] DNA sequences of the invention including fragments of SEQ ID NO:1 in the form of probes may be used to detect the presence or absence of PEG3 DNA or mRNA in a sample. Detection may be qualitative or quantitative. For example, levels of PEG3 expression may be associated with a number of conditions including thermoregulation and obesity. Levels of PEG3 expression may be determined in order to assess expression levels of the gene in tissues as a means of diagnosis or prognosis of such conditions and to monitor changes in expression level, for example in response to a course of treatment.

[0050] Such detection means may include a process which comprises providing a sample of DNA or RNA from an individual, bringing a nucleic acid of the invention into contact with the sample under conditions which allow the DNA of the invention to hybridise to a complementary sequence in the sample, and detecting whether or not such hybridisation has occurred. To facilitate detection, the DNA of the invention may be labelled with a detectable label such as a radiolabel, a fluorescent label or an amplifiable label such as biotin. Alternatively, detection may utilise a short sequence of the invention as one member of a PCR primer pair which may be used in conjunction with a second primer sequence which targets a complementary strand of the PEG gene such that a PCR reaction produces a detectable amplified product.

[0051] The provision of the sequence of SEQ ID NO:1 allows for the first time the assembly of a full open reading frame of the human PEG3 gene. Thus, the sequence of the invention may be linked at the 5′ terminus to the four additional nucleotides required to provide the ATG initiation codon and the first nucleotide of codon 2, and, at the 3′ end to the remainder of exon 9. This provides the full open reading frame shown herein as SEQ ID NO:9. The sequences from the prior art may be obtained in any suitable form, for example as genomic fragments or cDNA sequences, and assembled using recombinant DNA techniques known as such in the art. For example, see Sambrook et al, 1987, Cold Spring Harbour which provides examples of suitable methods and materials for recombinant DNA manipulation.

[0052] The assembled clone may be inserted into an expression vector including expression vectors of the type above and used for the expression and recovery in isolated form of human PEG3 protein.

[0053] Thus in a further aspect, the invention provides an isolated polypeptide comprising SEQ ID NO:10. The invention further provides isolated polypeptides which are fragments of SEQ ID NO:10, said fragments comprising SEQ ID NO:14 or a fragment thereof of at least 15 amino acids of SEQ ID NO:14, such as at least 20 or at least 25 amino acids of SEQ ID NO:14.

[0054] Isolated polypeptides of the invention will be those as defined above in isolated form, free or substantially free of material with which it is naturally associated such as other polypeptides with which it is found in the cell. The polypeptides may of course be formulated with diluents or adjuvants and still for practical purposes be isolated - for example the polypeptides will normally be mixed with gelatin or other carriers if used to coat microtitre plates for use in immunoassays. The polypeptides may be glycosylated, either naturally or by systems of heterologous eukaryotic cells, or they may be (for example if produced by expression in a prokaryotic cell) unglycosylated. Polypeptides may be phosphorylated and/or acetylated.

[0055] A polypeptide of the invention may also be in a substantially purified form, in which case it will generally comprise the polypeptide in a preparation in which more than 90%, e.g. 95%, 98% or 99% of the polypeptide in the preparation is a polypeptide of the invention.

[0056] Polypeptides of the invention may be modified for example by the addition of histidine residues to assist their purification or by the addition of a signal sequence to promote their secretion from a cell.

[0057] A polypeptide according to the present invention may be isolated and/or purified (e.g. using an antibody) for instance after production by expression from encoding nucleic acid. Polypeptides according to the present invention may also be generated wholly or partly by chemical synthesis, for example in a step-wise manner. The isolated and/or purified polypeptide may be used in formulation of a composition, which may include at least one additional component, for example a pharmaceutical composition including a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient, vehicle or carrier. A composition including a polypeptide according to the invention may be used in prophylactic and/or therapeutic treatment.

[0058] Thus the invention provides a composition of the invention for use in a method of treatment of body weight, thermoregulation or behaviour, which method comprises administering to a patient in need of treatment an effective amount of a polypeptide or composition thereof of the invention.

[0059] A polypeptide according to the present invention may be used as an immunogen or otherwise in obtaining specific antibodies. Antibodies are useful in purification and other manipulation of polypeptides and peptides, diagnostic screening and therapeutic contexts. This is discussed further below.

[0060] A polypeptide according to the present invention may be used in screening for molecules which affect or modulate its activity or function. Such molecules may be useful in a therapeutic (possibly including prophylactic) context. Such screening may take the form of direct in vitro screening for modulators which bind to a polypeptide of the invention. A polypeptide of the invention may be labelled with a revealing label. The revealing label may be any suitable label which allows the polypeptide to be detected. Suitable labels include radioisotopes, e.g. ¹²⁵I, enzymes, antibodies, polynucleotides and linkers such as biotin. Labelled polypeptides of the invention may be used in diagnostic procedures such as immunoassays in order to determine the amount of a polypeptide of the invention in a sample. Polypeptides or labelled polypeptides of the invention may also be used in serological or cell mediated immune assays for the detection of immune reactivity to said polypeptides in animals and humans using standard protocols.

[0061] A polypeptide or labelled polypeptide of the invention or fragment thereof may also be fixed to a solid phase, for example the surface of an immunoassay well or dipstick.

[0062] Such labelled and/or immobilized polypeptides may be packaged into kits in a suitable container along with suitable reagents, controls, instructions and the like.

[0063] Such polypeptides and kits may be used in methods of detection of antibodies to such polypeptides present in a sample or active portions or fragments thereof by immunoassay.

[0064] Immunoassay methods are well known in the art and will generally comprise:

[0065] (a) providing a polypeptide comprising an epitope bindable by an antibody against PEG3;

[0066] (b) incubating a biological sample with said polypeptide under conditions which allow for the formation of an antibody-antigen complex; and

[0067] (c) determining whether antibody-antigen complex comprising said polypeptide is formed.

[0068] Similarly, antibodies of the invention (as defined herein below) which are capable of binding diagnostically significant epitopes of PEG3 may likewise be packaged in a kit with controls, instructions, and the like. Immunoassay methods using such antibodies will generally comprise:

[0069] (a) providing an antibody of the invention capable of binding an epitope of PEG3;

[0070] (b) incubating a biological sample with said antibody under conditions which allow for the formation of an antibody-antigen complex; and

[0071] (c) determining whether antibody-antigen complex comprising PEG3 is formed.

[0072] The identification of the polypeptide expressed by the PEG3 gene enables assays to be developed to identify further cellular proteins with which the polypeptide is associated. For example, polypeptides of the present invention form part of regulatory pathways in which their function is to interact with other factors which in turn promote or maintain essential cellular functions. The polypeptides of the present invention may be used in two-hybrid assays to determine cellular factors with which they become associated.

[0073] Two-hybrid assays may be in accordance with those disclosed by Fields and Song, 1989, Nature 340; 245-246. In such an assay the DNA binding domain (DBD) and the transcriptional activation domain (TAD) of the yeast GAL4 transcription factor are fused to the first and second molecules respectively whose interaction is to be investigated. A functional GAL4 transcription factor is restored only when two molecules of interest interact. Thus, interaction of the molecules may be measured by the use of a reporter gene operably linked to a GAL4 DNA binding site which is capable of activating transcription of said reporter gene. Other transcriptional activator domains may be used in place of the GAL4 TAD, for example the viral VP16 activation domain. In general, fusion proteins comprising DNA binding domains and activation domains may be made.

[0074] The use of a two-hybrid approach allows isolation of the gene (or at least a portion thereof which may be used to clone the whole gene) encoding the protein which interacts with a polypeptide of the invention.

[0075] An alternative approach is an immunoprecipitation. Antibodies against a polypeptide of the invention may be made, and used to immunoprecipitate this protein from cells in which it is produced, under conditions wherein a protein associated with PEG3 co-precipitates. The protein may be analysed by traditional protein chemistry, and primary sequence used to design probes to clone it. Alternatively, the primary sequence data may be compared against EST databases for candidate genes.

[0076] Isolated sequences of nucleic acids obtainable in this way form a further aspect of the invention.

[0077] In the present case polypeptides of the invention may be expressed as fusion proteins with an appropriate domain and candidate second polypeptides with which those of the invention might associate can be produced as fusion proteins with an appropriate corresponding domain. Alternatively libraries such as phage display libraries of such fusion proteins may be screened with a fusion polypeptide of the invention.

[0078] The PEG3 protein and fragments thereof may be used to obtain antibodies against PEG3. In particular, antibodies raised against the protein sequence encoded by exon 8 will be useful in distinguishing between PEG3 and the protein ZIM2 because the first seven exons of both proteins are shared. In addition, antibodies may be specific for epitopes encoded by exon 8 of human PEG3 in that they will be able to distinguish between them and epitopes of PEG3 homologues from other species, particularly murine.

[0079] Antibodies according to the invention may be useful in diagnostic and prognostic methods as discussed herein. Antibodies are also useful in purifying the polypeptide or polypeptides to which they bind, e.g. following production by recombinant expression from encoding nucleic acid.

[0080] Preferred antibodies according to the invention are isolated, in the sense of being free from contaminants such as antibodies able to bind other polypeptides and/or free of serum components. Monoclonal antibodies are preferred for some purposes, though polyclonal antibodies are within the scope of the present invention.

[0081] Antibodies may be obtained using techniques which are standard in the art. Methods of producing antibodies include immunising a mammal (e.g. mouse, rat, rabbit) with a polypeptide of the invention. Antibodies may be obtained from immunised animals using any of a variety of techniques known in the art, and screened, preferably using binding of antibody to antigen of interest. For instance, Western blotting techniques or immunoprecipitation may be used (Armitage et al, Nature, 357:80-82, 1992).

[0082] As an alternative or supplement to immunising a mammal with a peptide, an antibody specific for a protein may be obtained from a recombinantly produced library of expressed immunoglobulin variable domains, e.g. using lambda bacteriophage or filamentous bacteriophage which display functional immunoglobulin binding domains on their surfaces; for instance see WO92/01047.

[0083] Antibodies according to the present invention may be modified in a number of ways. Indeed the term “antibody” should be construed as covering any binding substance having a binding domain with the required specificity. Thus the invention covers antibody fragments, derivatives, functional equivalents and homologues of antibodies, including synthetic molecules and molecules whose shape mimics that of an antibody enabling it to bind an antigen or epitope.

[0084] Example antibody fragments, capable of binding an antigen or other binding partner include Fab fragments and Fv fragments, including single chain Fv fragments.

[0085] Humanized antibodies in which CDRs from a non-human source are grafted onto human framework regions, typically with the alteration of some of the framework amino acid residues, to provide antibodies which are less immunogenic than the parent non-human antibodies, are also included within the present invention.

[0086] Hybridomas and other host cells capable of producing antibody with desired binding characteristics are within the scope of the present invention. The invention also provides methods of production of the antibodies including growing a cell capable of producing the antibody under conditions in which the antibody is produced, and preferably secreted.

[0087] The reactivities of antibodies in a sample may be determined by any appropriate means. Tagging with individual reporter molecules is one possibility. The reporter molecules may directly or indirectly generate detectable, and preferably measurable, signals. The linkage of reporter molecules may be directly or indirectly, covalently, e.g. via a peptide bond or non-covalently. One favoured mode is by covalent linkage of each antibody with an individual fluorochrome, phosphor or laser dye with spectrally isolated absorption or emission characteristics. Suitable fluorochromes include fluorescein, rhodamine, phycoerythrin and Texas Red. Suitable chromogenic dyes include diaminobenzidine.

[0088] Other reporters include macromolecular colloidal particles or particulate material such as latex beads that are coloured, magnetic or paramagnetic, and biologically or chemically active agents that can directly or indirectly cause detectable signals to be visually observed, electronically detected or otherwise recorded. These molecules may be enzymes which catalyse reactions that develop or change colours or cause changes in electrical properties, for example. Biotin/avidin or biotin/streptavidin and alkaline phosphatase detection systems may be employed.

[0089] The mode of determining binding is not a feature of the present invention and those skilled in the art are able to choose a suitable mode according to their preference and general knowledge.

[0090] Antibodies according to the present invention may be used in screening for the presence of PEG3 for example in a test sample containing cells or cell lysate as discussed, and may be used in purifying and/or isolating a polypeptide according to the present invention, for instance following production of the polypeptide by expression from encoding nucleic acid therefore. Antibodies may modulate the activity of the polypeptide to which they bind and so, if that polypeptide has a deleterious effect in an individual, may be useful in a therapeutic context (which may include prophylaxis). An antibody may be provided in a kit, which may include instructions for use of the antibody, e.g. in determining the presence of a particular substance in a test sample. One or more other reagents may be included, such as labelling molecules, buffer solutions, elutants and so on. Reagents may be provided within containers which protect them from the external environment, such as a sealed vial.

[0091] Thus in one aspect the invention provides a method of detecting human PEG3 protein in a sample which method comprises providing a sample from a human subject, incubating the sample with an antibody against PEG3, and detecting whether or not said antibody has bound.

[0092] The provision of the human PEG3 gene allows the search for other genes involved in metabolic regulation, and thus the invention also provides a method for screening for genes associated with the regulation of body weight or temperature, which method comprises providing a PEG3 polypeptide of the present invention, bringing said polypeptide into contact with other cellular proteins, and determining to which cellular proteins the polypeptide is able to bind. Such genes may be isolated and this forms a further aspect of the invention.

[0093] The invention also allows the determination of a PEG3 genotype in humans with a phenotypic disorder associated with obesity or thermoregulation, by a method forming a further aspect of the invention. This method comprises:

[0094] providing nucleic acid from a group of obese patients and a control group of non-obese patients;

[0095] analysing said nucleic acid with a nucleic acid of the present invention; and

[0096] determining one or more features of said nucleic acid associated with the obese phenotype.

[0097] An analogous method may be performed at the protein level, using antibodies of the present invention to determine epitopes of PEG3 which differ between groups, either in the relative strength of binding or in their presence or absence.

[0098] The differences in protein epitopes or genotype determined by such screening may be utilized to provide a method of testing an individual's susceptibility to obesity or a thermoregulatory disorder which comprises analysing the nucleic acid of said individual for one or more features of the PEG3 gene associated obesity or thermoregulatory disorders.

[0099] In a further embodiment of the invention, there is provided a non-human animal which expresses the human nucleic acid of the present invention. This may be in addition to, or in place of an endogenous PEG3 gene. The provision of animals with copies of the human PEG3 gene may be achieved using the techniques known as such in the art for targeted homologous replacement of genes.

[0100] Generally, a construct containing nucleic acid of the invention will be introduced into a targeting vector which has additionally a sequence of homology with the animals endogenous PEG3 gene, and this is introduced into ES cells by electroporation, lipofection or microinjection. In a few ES cells, the targeting vector pairs with the homologous chromosomal DNA sequence and transfers the nucleic acid carried by the vector into the genome by homologous recombination. The vector is configured so that the recombination results in a knock out of the endogenous gene and the provision of a nucleic acid of the invention capable of being expressed. It may be expressed from a heterologous promoter, or from the animal's endogenous PEG3 promoter. Screening or enrichment procedures are used to identify the transfected cells, and a transfected cell is cloned and maintained as a pure population.

[0101] Next, the altered ES cells are injected into the blastocyst of a preimplantation mouse embryo or alternatively an aggregation chimera is prepared in which the ES cells are placed between two blastocysts which, with the ES cells, merge to form a single chimeric blastocyst. The chimeric blastocyst is surgically transferred into the uterus of a foster mother where the development is allowed to progress to term. The resulting animal will be a chimera of normal and donor cells. Typically the donor cells will be from a animal with a clearly distinguishable phenotype such as skin colour, so that the chimeric progeny is easily identified. The progeny is then bred and its descendants cross-bred, giving rise to heterozygotes and homozygotes for the targeted mutation. The production of transgenic animals is described further by Capecchi, M, R., 1989, Science 244; 1288-1292; Valancius and Smithies, 1991, Mol. Cell. Biol. 11; 1402-1408; and Hasty et al, 1991, Nature 350; 243-246, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0102] In another aspect, animals are provided in which the human PEG3 nucleic acid of the invention is expressed at an ectopic location. This means that the gene is expressed in a location or at a time during development which does not occur in a wild-type animal. For example, the gene may be linked to a developmentally regulated promoter such as Wnt-1 and others (Echeland, Y. Et al., Development 120, 2213-2224, 1998; Rinkenberger, J. C. et al., Dev. Genet. 21, 6-10, 1997, or a tissue specific promoter such as HoxB (Machonochie, M. K. et al, Genes & Dev 11, 1885-1895, 1997).

[0103] Animals of this aspect of the invention may also be used as models in the development of assays for modulators of obesity, temperature regulation or behavioural disorders.

[0104] Non-human animals of the invention may be homozygous or heterozygous for the nucleic acid of the invention. Mammalian animals include non-human primates, rodents, rabbits, sheep, cattle, goats, pigs. Rodents include mice, rats, and guinea pigs. Amphibians include frogs. Fish such as zebra fish, may also be used.

[0105] Transgenic non-human mammals of the invention may be used for experimental purposes in studying obesity, thermoregulation or behavioural disorders, and in the development of therapies designed to alleviate the symptoms or progression of such conditions cause by a defect in the PEG3 gene. By “experimental” it is meant permissible for use in animal experimentation or testing purposes under prevailing legislation applicable to the research facility where such experimentation occurs.

[0106] The invention may be used in methods designed to assay putative modulators of weight, temperature regulation or behaviour. The animals of a test group will be provided with a diet which may be hypo, hyper or iso-caloric, and the weight gain or loss of the test group measured and compared to suitable control groups. Usually, test animals are provided with surplus food, the intake of which may then be determined by measuring the difference between the food provided and food remaining after a period of time.

[0107] The putative modulator may be any candidate substance which may be involved in regulation of weight, temperature or behaviour. For example, candidate substances include hormones or other peptides (including for example leptin, insulin, thyroid, hormone, TNF),(Huang, Q. Et al., Endocrinology 139, 1524-1532, 1998; Hwang, C. S. et al., Ann. Rev. Cell. Dev. Biol. 13,231-259,1997), prostaglandins, synthetic or naturally occurring chemical compounds, for example extracts of plants, steroids, benzodiazapenes, dexfluoroamphetamines or other amphetamine derivatives (Popovich, N. G. et al., J. Am. Pharm. Assoc. Wash., 37,31-39,1997). Compounds may be administered to test animals by any suitable route, for example orally or by intravenous injection, although other routes (e.g. buccal, nasal, transdermal, rectal, etc, are not excluded). The dose of a putative modulator will depend upon its nature and potency, and may be determined by those of skill in the art taking into account the nature of the test substance.

[0108] In a preferred aspect of the invention, test animals will be used in the assay of putative modulators of weight and/or thermoregulation. Modulators which affect the rate at which body weight is increased may be useful in treating obesity or weight related conditions such as diabetes. Modulators which restore proper thermoregulation, or alleviate the reduction in temperature, (Gong et al., J. Biol. Chem. 26, 24129-24132,1997) may be useful in treating conditions such as hypothermia or pyrexia of any origin, for example pyrexia due to endotoxin stimulus during infection, (Doig, G. S. et al. Crit. Care. Med. 25, 1956-1961, 1997) pyrexia associated with cell necrosis or hypespyrexia as a consequence of halothane or other drug administration (Kim, S. H. et al. J. Trauma 44, 485-491, 1998).

[0109] Additionally, the phenotypic effects on behaviour, particularly maternal behaviour, may be used as a determinator in the development of drug therapies for depression including post-natal depression or other behavioural disorders. The phenotypic effects may also be used in the development of therapies for modifying olfaction, cognition and male behaviour.

[0110] In a further aspect of the invention it has observed in the art that in the preoptic nucleus of the hypothalamus, significantly fewer oxytocin containing neurons are found in transgenic Peg3 knock-out animals as opposed to control animals. This suggests that either these neurons have never formed or that, importantly, they may have degenerated by one of several processes. PEG3 may therefore be important in the control of cell death or degeneration, particularly in the nervous system. Accordingly, the present invention provides transgenic animals of the invention in methods of testing compounds with the ability to enhance or repress degeneration of neurons in the brain or other tissues. Measuring the activity, amount or integrity of PEG3 may also act as a diagnostic or staging test for diseases involving cell death and degeneration, such as Alzheimers disease. Furthermore, compounds which alter cell degeneration via the PEG3 pathway may be used in methods of treatment of cancer.

[0111] Accordingly, in a further embodiment of the invention transgenic animals may be used in a method of testing the potential carcinogenicity of compounds by administering a test compound to a transgenic animal of the invention and determining whether said animal has an increased risk of tumour development compared to non-transgenic controls and/or untreated transgenic controls.

[0112] Animals of the invention may also be used as recipients of xenografts, particularly xenografts of human tumour cells. The efficacy of candidate anti-tumour compounds may then be tested in such transgenic animals to analyse the mode of action of the test compound and determine whether said mode of action is via a pathway regulated by or requiring PEG3.

[0113] The finding that PEG3 is associated with the phenotypic disorders mentioned herein allows the development of genetic markers to determine the susceptibility of an individual to obesity or other disorders. Thus in a further aspect of the invention, the PEG3 gene from obese subjects, including human subjects, may be analysed with nucleic acid of the invention, compared to the gene found in non-obese subjects. In the case of human subjects, obese individuals are preferably those with a body mass index (b.m.i., calculated as weight (kg) divided by height (m) squared) of over 25, and preferably over 30.

[0114] Nucleic acid—e.g. mRNA from cells expressing PEG3 or DNA from any cells may be analysed by any suitable means for detecting variation in individuals. Suitable methods include determining restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs), PCR product polymorphisms (i.e. the length of an amplified region of the gene produced using a primer pair), direct sequencing of all or part of the gene, or heteroduplex analysis. One or more of these methods may be used to determine features in the PEG3 gene of obese individuals which is associated with obesity. Similarly, associations with other disorders may be determined.

[0115] The association need not be one which is found in 100% of obese subjects and 0% of non-obese subjects. Predictive markers for phenotypic traits may be those which are found at a higher frequency in the subject population than in controls. Thus markers may be developed which indicate an increased risk of obesity or other PEG3-deficient-associated traits, so that individuals at risk may be treated before symptoms occur.

[0116] In an analogous manner, individuals showing symptoms of any of the disorders we have found to be associated with PEG3 inactivation may be screened for a polypeptide of the invention, for example using antibodies of the invention.

[0117] The provision of nucleic acid or protein markers of the PEG3 gene associated with obesity, temperature regulation, behavioural disorders, apoptosis, cell survival or resistance to infectious diseases provides a further aspect of the invention. Diagnostic methods and markers may be used on samples from individual subjects, to determine that individual's own risk of developing the one of these conditions, or the prognosis for treating the condition. For example, where particular polymorphisms such as deletions, truncations or substitutions of the wild-type PEG3 gene are found to be associated with one of these conditions, then a nucleic acid probe may be prepared to detect the presence or absence of the particular polymorphism.

[0118] Tests for detecting nucleic acid generally comprise bringing a human or animal body sample containing DNA or RNA into contact with a probe comprising a polynucleotide or primer of the invention under hybridizing conditions and detecting any duplex formed between the probe and nucleic acid in the sample. Such detection may be achieved using techniques such as PCR or by immobilizing the probe on a solid support, removing nucleic acid in the sample which is not hybridized to the probe, and then detecting nucleic acid which has hybridized to the probe. Alternatively, the sample nucleic acid may be immobilized on a solid support, and the amount of probe bound to such a support can be detected. Suitable assay methods of this any other formats can be found in for example WO89/03891 and WO90/13667.

[0119] Probes used in such techniques may be in the form of a short probe (for example of 15 to 50, such as 18 to 24 nucleotides) which is capable of hybridising to the wild-type sequence and not to the disease associated sequence, or vice versa. The probe may be packaged in a kit with suitable control reagents, instructions, and the like.

[0120] In another embodiment, the sample nucleic acid may be in the form of whole chromosomes, for example as a metaphase spread. A nucleic acid probe or primer of the invention may be labelled with a fluorescent label to detect the chromosomal location of a PEG3 gene in the spread.

[0121] The identification of a role for PEG3 in the above described manner provides a novel target for therapeutic agents. Modulators of PEG3 obtained by assay methods of the invention may be used to treat a variety of conditions, including, for example, depression, impaired maternal care, aberrant thermoregulation and obesity. The latter, in the form of late onset obesity, can occur with ageing, partly due to changes in energy balance and a lack of thermoregulation and thus Peg3 forms a target linking the two and may be critical to devising appropriate treatments for such conditions.

[0122] The identification of PEG3 alleles or polymorphisms in human populations associated with obesity will provide a means to identify individuals at risk of obesity at an early stage, and thus provide appropriate treatment or the introduction of life-style changes which may reduce the effect of a risk-associated allele or phenotype.

[0123] The invention is illustrated by the following examples.

[0124] RT-PCR and Cloning.

[0125] Placental cDNA was first denatured at 94° C. for 5 min and amplified with High Fidelity PCR system (Roche) for 30 cycles (94° C. for 30s, 58° C. for 1 min, 68° C. for 2 min) using primers HFL1 and HFL2 (synthesised by Genosys). The priming sequence of primer HFL1 was picked from the cDNA sequence ZIM2 (accession no. AF166122, nucleotides 368-389) while that of the primer HFL2 was designed according to the cDNA KIAA0287 (accession no. AB006625; nucleotides 147-168). An EcoRI linker sequence 5′-GATCGAATTC . . . . 3′ was added at the 5′ end of each primer (see SEQ ID NO.23 and 24) to facilitate cloning. The PCR products were precipitated with sodium acetate and ethanol. The pellets were then resuspended and digested with EcoRI at 37° C. for an hour (NEB). The digested PCR products were ligated to the EcoRI-digested pbluescript SK II +vector (Stratagene) in a 3:1 ratio using the Rapid Ligation System (Roche). The ligation products were mixed with the competent DH5α E. coli cells and the DNA-cells were heat-shocked at 42° C. for exactly 90s. The transformed cells were selected on IPTG+X-gal (isopropyl-βD-thiogalactopyranoside+5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl-βD-thiogalactopyranoside)+ampicillin plates. The white colonies were picked and tested for the presence of inserts. The colonies were first lysed in 100μl of H₂O. 10 μl of the lysate was then PCR-amplified using the T3 and T7 primers as described above.

[0126] Sequencing.

[0127] Four clones containing the inserts were randomly picked for sequencing. The bacterial colonies for each clone were inoculated into 2×1.5-ml LB broth containing 100 μg/ml ampicillin and allowed to grow overnight at 37° C. Plasmid DNA was extracted from the culture using either alkaline lysis method (Maniatis et al., 1989. Molecular cloning) or Qiagen column according to the manufacturer's manual. The DNA was then sequenced in both direction using T3 and T7 primers at Department of Biochemistry, Cambridge, using the ABI system (Perkin Elmer).

[0128] Results.

[0129] The PCR products amplified by primers HFL1 and HFL2 were cloned into the pBluescript SKII+ vector at the EcoRI site. The recombinant plasmid was subsequently transformed into the DH5α E. coli cells as described. 30 out of 6000 colonies screened were white and 16 white colonies were picked and tested for the presence of inserts using PCR. All the colonies picked contained the inserts. Plasmid from four randomly chosen colonies was used for sequencing and the sequence of the clones were assembled and analysed using the software Sequencher™ 3.1.1. Three of the clones were sequenced in both directions and the fourth in one direction only. These sequences are shown as SEQ ID NOs:2-8.

1 25 1 1159 DNA Homo sapiens 1 tctccacagt ccttacattc aaaacgtttc cctccaacct gacttttctg aacttcactg 60 acagccacac tgtggataaa ggactcacca tactcataga ggttctctct agtatgcatg 120 atctggtgct caacaaattc tgagatgaca ctgaacgacc tcccacactc atcacataca 180 tatggcattg ccccaaaatc aattggctgt gactcggtaa aggaggggga gctgaggctg 240 ctcaggctgc tcacgctcat ggcttttctc atctcactac cacattcaaa gggcttcttc 300 ctgggacagc ctttttgatc gtgaatcgag cccttcccat ctgtgtcaaa atgatagcgc 360 ctctttcttt caagaactct ctttctggaa acaagggttg aattaaacct aaagcctccc 420 ctaaatgcat tcccttcata aacccgctgc tggatcactg actccctctt gttcaatgaa 480 atgtccttcc agttatcatc tgacattctg gggaatctct gtgaccggtc gcttgactcc 540 cttgctcttc ccgatttgga actgcgtgac acatccttga tgaatttttc cattatcact 600 ccgtgggaag attcatcttc acaaatcccc cgccggtggg ttgatttttt ggcttcaggc 660 atagttttta gacctcgact ggtgcttggg taggcacttc tcttggatct tgatgagtgg 720 ccctgcgtca tgtgggagtg gccatcgtct tcagcaagct gcactccgag ggagagcagc 780 ttcctgtagt tttccatgtt gtcctggatt gtgttgtgag gtttcctgtc ctcagcgagg 840 tccaccacat tttggtatga ttcagcatcc tgagatcggg actcataagc cctggagtcc 900 ctgtcgtcct ctctgtccat ttcaaagctt gttttcgcca ccacaggaag ggaaagatcc 960 cgcggaggca tcctgcttct tgggttcctg gtgtgggacc agcggtctcg tggctccatg 1020 tctctgcttc tgcccctccg gtcccagtcc cggtcaccac tgaaagaatg gactgagtga 1080 ggtggtgagg actctcttct gttccgggtc atgtcgtcgt cactggtcac gtcactgttg 1140 ttgtcgtctt ctggttggt 1159 2 823 DNA Homo sapiens 2 tctccacagt ccttacattc aaaacgtttc cctccaacct gacttttctg aacttcactg 60 acagccacac tgtggataaa ggactcacca tactcataga ggttctctct agtatgcatg 120 atctggtgct caacaaattc tgagatgaca ctgaacgacc tcccacactc atcacataca 180 tatggcattg ccccaaaatc aattggctgt gactcggtaa aggaggggga gctgaggctg 240 ctcaggctgc tcacgctcat ggcttttctc atctcactac cacattcaaa gggcttcttc 300 ctgggacagc ctttttgatc gtgaatcgag cccttcccat ctgtgtcaaa atgatagcgc 360 ctctttcttt caagaactct ctttctggaa acaagggttg aattaaacct aaagcctccc 420 ctaaatgcat tcccttcata aacccgctgc tggatcactg actccctctt gttcaatgaa 480 atgtccttcc agttatcatc tgacattctg gggaatctct gtgaccggtc gcttgactcc 540 cttgctcttc ccgatttgga actgcgtgac acatccttga tgaatttttc cattatcact 600 ccgtgggaag attcatcttc acaaatcccc cgccggtggg ttgatttttt ggcttcaggc 660 atagttttta gacctcgact ggtgcttggg taggcacttc tcttggatct tgatgagtgg 720 ccctgcgtca tgtgggagtg gccatcgtct tcagcaagct gcactccgag ggagagcagc 780 ttcctgtagt tttccatgtt gtcctggatt gtgttgtgag gtt 823 3 844 DNA Homo sapiens 3 tctccacagt ccttacattc aaaacgtttc cctccaacct gacttttctg aacttcactg 60 acagccacac tgtggataaa ggactcacca tactcataga ggttctctct agtatgcatg 120 atctggtgct caacaaattc tgagatgaca ctgaacgacc tcccacactc atcacataca 180 tatggcattg ccccaaaatc aattggctgt gactcggtaa aggaggggga gctgaggctg 240 ctcaggctgc tcacgctcat ggcttttctc atctcactac cacattcaaa gggcttcttc 300 ctgggacagc ctttttgatc gtgaatcgag cccttcccat ctgtgtcaaa atgatagcgc 360 ctctttcttt caagaactct ctttctggaa acaagggttg aattaaacct aaagcctccc 420 ctaaatgcat tcccttcata aacccgctgc tggatcactg actccctctt gttcaatgaa 480 atgtccttcc agttatcatc tgacattctg gggaatctct gtgaccggtc gcttgactcc 540 cttgctcttc ccgatttgga actgcgtgac acatccttga tgaatttttc cattatcact 600 ccgtgggaag attcatcttc acaaatcccc cgccggtggg ttgatttttt ggcttcaggc 660 atagttttta gacctcgact ggtgcttggg taggcacttc tcttggatct tgatgagtgg 720 ccctgcgtca tgtgggagtg gccatcgtct tcagcaagct gcactccgag ggagagcagc 780 ttcctgtagt tttccatgtt gtcctggatt gtgttgtgag gtttcctgtc ctcagcgagg 840 tcca 844 4 846 DNA Homo sapiens 4 tctccacagt ccttacattc aaaacgtttc cctccaacct gacttttctg aacttcactg 60 acagccacac tgtggataaa ggactcacca tactcataga ggttctctct agtatgcatg 120 atctggtgct caacaaattc tgagatgaca ctgaacgacc tcccacactc atcacataca 180 tatggcattg ccccaaaatc aattggctgt gactcggtaa aggaggggga gctgaggctg 240 ctcaggctgc tcacgctcat ggcttttctc atctcactac cacattcaaa gggcttcttc 300 ctgggacagc ctttttgatc gtgaatcgag cccttcccat ctgtgtcaaa atgatagcgc 360 ctctttcttt caagaactct ctttctggaa acaagggttg aattaaacct aaagcctccc 420 ctaaatgcat tcccttcata aacccgctgc tggatcactg actccctctt gttcaatgaa 480 atgtccttcc agttatcatc tgacattctg gggaatctct gtgaccggtc gcttgactcc 540 cttgctcttc ccgatttgga actgcgtgac acatccttga tgaatttttc cattatcact 600 ccgtgggaag attcatcttc acaaatcccc cgccggtggg ttgatttttt ggcttcaggc 660 atagttttta gacctcgact ggtgcttggg taggcacttc tcttggatct tgatgagtgg 720 ccctgcgtca tgtgggagtg gccatcgtct tcagcaagct gcactccgag ggagagcagc 780 ttcctgtagt tttccatgtt gtcctggatt gtgttgtgag gtttcctgtc ctcagcgagg 840 tccacc 846 5 851 DNA Homo sapiens 5 tctccacagt ccttacattc aaaacgtttc cctccaacct gacttttctg aacttcactg 60 acagccacac tgtggataaa ggactcacca tactcataga ggttctctct agtatgcatg 120 atctggtgct caacaaattc tgagatgaca ctgaacgacc tcccacactc atcacataca 180 tatggcattg ccccaaaatc aattggctgt gactcggtaa aggaggggga gctgaggctg 240 ctcaggctgc tcacgctcat ggcttttctc atctcactac cacattcaaa gggcttcttc 300 ctgggacagc ctttttgatc gtgaatcgag cccttcccat ctgtgtcaaa atgatagcgc 360 ctctttcttt caagaactct ctttctggaa acaagggttg aattaaacct aaagcctccc 420 ctaaatgcat tcccttcata aacccgctgc tggatcactg actccctctt gttcaatgaa 480 atgtccttcc agttatcatc tgacattctg gggaatctct gtgaccggtc gcttgactcc 540 cttgctcttc ccgatttgga actgcgtgac acatccttga tgaatttttc cattatcact 600 ccgtgggaag attcatcttc acaaatcccc cgccggtggg ttgatttttt ggcttcaggc 660 atagttttta gacctcgact ggtgcttggg taggcacttc tcttggatct tgatgagtgg 720 ccctgcgtca tgtgggagtg gccatcgtct tcagcaagct gcactccgag ggagagcagc 780 ttcctgtagt tttccatgtt gtcctggatt gtgttgtgag gtttcctgtc ctcagcgagg 840 tccaccacat t 851 6 856 DNA Homo sapiens 6 ggacagcctt tttgatcgtg aatcgagccc ttcccatctg tgtcaaaatg atagcgcctc 60 tttctttcaa gaactctctt tctggaaaca agggttgaat taaacctaaa gcctccccta 120 aatgcattcc cttcataaac ccgctgctgg atcactgact ccctcttgtt caatgaaatg 180 tccttccagt tatcatctga cattctgggg aatctctgtg accggtcgct tgactccctt 240 gctcttcccg atttggaact gcgtgacaca tccttgatga atttttccat tatcactccg 300 tgggaagatt catcttcaca aatcccccgc cggtgggttg attttttggc ttcaggcata 360 gtttttagac ctcgactggt gcttgggtag gcacttctct tggatcttga tgagtggccc 420 tgcgtcatgt gggagtggcc atcgtcttca gcaagctgca ctccgaggga gagcagcttc 480 ctgtagtttt ccatgttgtc ctggattgtg ttgtgaggtt tcctgtcctc agcgaggtcc 540 accacatttt ggtatgattc agcatcctga gatcgggact cataagccct ggagtccctg 600 tcgtcctctc tgtccatttc aaagcttgtt ttcgccacca caggaaggga aagatcccgc 660 ggaggcatcc tgcttcttgg gttcctggtg tgggaccagc ggtctcgtgg ctccatgtct 720 ctgcttctgc ccctccggtc ccagtcccgg tcaccactga aagaatggac tgagtgaggt 780 ggtgaggact ctcttctgtt ccgggtcatg tcgtcgtcac tggtcacgtc actgttgttg 840 tcgtcttctg gttggt 856 7 850 DNA Homo sapiens 7 cctttttgat cgtgaatcga gcccttccca tctgtgtcaa aatgatagcg cctctttctt 60 tcaagaactc tctttctgga aacaagggtt gaattaaacc taaagcctcc cctaaatgca 120 ttcccttcat aaacccgctg ctggatcact gactccctct tgttcaatga aatgtccttc 180 cagttatcat ctgacattct ggggaatctc tgtgaccggt cgcttgactc ccttgctctt 240 cccgatttgg aactgcgtga cacatccttg atgaattttt ccattatcac tccgtgggaa 300 gattcatctt cacaaatccc ccgccggtgg gttgattttt tggcttcagg catagttttt 360 agacctcgac tggtgcttgg gtaggcactt ctcttggatc ttgatgagtg gccctgcgtc 420 atgtgggagt ggccatcgtc ttcagcaagc tgcactccga gggagagcag cttcctgtag 480 ttttccatgt tgtcctggat tgtgttgtga ggtttcctgt cctcagcgag gtccaccaca 540 ttttggtatg attcagcatc ctgagatcgg gactcataag ccctggagtc cctgccgtcc 600 tctctgtcca tttcaaagct tgttttcgcc accacaggaa gggaaagatc ccgcggaggc 660 atcctgcttc ttgggttcct ggtgtgggac cagcggtctc gtggctccat gtctctgctt 720 ctgcccctcc ggtcccagtc ccggtcacca ctgaaagaat ggactgagtg aggtggtgag 780 gactctcttc tgttccgggt catgtcgtcg tcactggtca cgtcactgtt gttgtcgtct 840 tctggttggt 850 8 848 DNA Homo sapiens 8 tttttgatcg tgaatcgagc ccttcccatc tgtgtcaaaa tgatagcgcc tctttctttc 60 aagaactctc tttctggaaa caagggttga attaaaccta aagcctcccc taaatgcatt 120 cccttcataa acccgctgct ggatcactga ctccctcttg ttcaatgaaa tgtccttcca 180 gttatcatct gacattctgg ggaatctctg tgaccggtcg cttgactccc ttgctcttcc 240 cgatttggaa ctgcgtgaca catccttgat gaatttttcc attatcactc cgtgggaaga 300 ttcatcttca caaatccccc gccggtgggt tgattttttg gcttcaggca tagtttttag 360 acctcgactg gtgcttgggt aggcacttct cttggatctt gatgagtggc cctgcgtcat 420 gtgggagtgg ccatcgtctt cagcaagctg cactccgagg gagagcagct tcctgtagtt 480 ttccatgttg tcctggattg tgttgtgagg tttcctgtcc tcagcgaggt ccaccacatt 540 ttggtatgat tcagcatcct gagatcggga ctcataagcc ctggagtccc tgtcgtcctc 600 tctgtccatt tcaaagcttg ttttcgccac cacaggaagg gaaagatccc gcggaggcat 660 cctgcttctt gggttcctgg tgtgggacca gcggtctcgt ggctccatgt ctctgcttct 720 gcccctccgg tcccagtccc ggtcaccact gaaagaatgg actgagtgag gtggtgagga 780 ctctcttctg ttccgggtca tgtcgtcgtc actggtcacg tcactgttgt tgtcgtcttc 840 tggttggt 848 9 4758 DNA Homo sapiens 9 cgggaggaga ggtttgggag gcgcgggaga tgtccaccct gggctggtgg cgccgccggg 60 cgccgggcgc catgagggtg cgctaggcgg ctgttcgtgc ccgaggctgc gcagcactga 120 ggtgagcttt gccttcttga tcttccgtcc ttcttggaga cgactggcga gaggaagagg 180 gactaggtcc aaacgctagg tggctgggtc cagccggaga cccgcaccaa ggaggagatc 240 atcgagctct tggtccttga gcagtacctg accatcatcc ctgaaaagct caagccttgg 300 gtgcgagcaa aaaagccgga gaactgtgag aagctcgtca ctctgctgga gaattacaag 360 gagatgtacc aaccagaaga cgacaacaac agtgacgtga ccagtgacga cgacatgacc 420 cggaacagaa gagagtcctc accacctcac tcagtccatt ctttcagtgg tgaccgggac 480 tgggaccgga ggggcagaag cagagacatg gagccacgag accgctggtc ccacaccagg 540 aacccaagaa gcaggatgcc tccgcgggat ctttcccttc ctgtggtggc gaaaacaagc 600 tttgaaatgg acagagagga cgacagggac tccagggctt atgagtcccg atctcaggat 660 gctgaatcat accaaaatgt ggtggacctc gctgaggaca ggaaacctca caacacaatc 720 caggacaaca tggaaaacta caggaagctg ctctccctcg gagtgcagct tgctgaagac 780 gatggccact cccacatgac gcagggccac tcatcaagat ccaagagaag tgcctaccca 840 agcaccagtc gaggtctaaa aactatgcct gaagccaaaa aatcaaccca ccggcggggg 900 atttgtgaag atgaatcttc ccacggagtg ataatggaaa aattcatcaa ggatgtgtca 960 cgcagttcca aatcgggaag agcaagggag tcaagcgacc ggtcacagag attccccaga 1020 atgtcagatg ataactggaa ggacatttca ttgaacaaga gggagtcagt gatccagcag 1080 cgggtttatg aagggaatgc atttagggga ggctttaggt ttaattcaac ccttgtttcc 1140 agaaagagag ttcttgaaag aaagaggcgc tatcattttg acacagatgg gaagggctcg 1200 attcacgatc aaaaaggctg tcccaggaag aagccctttg aatgtggtag tgagatgaga 1260 aaagccatga gcgtgagcag cctgagcagc ctcagctccc cctcctttac cgagtcacag 1320 ccaattgatt ttggggcaat gccatatgta tgtgatgagt gtgggaggtc gttcagtgtc 1380 atctcagaat ttgttgagca ccagatcatg catactagag agaacctcta tgagtatggt 1440 gagtccttta tccacagtgt ggctgtcagt gaagttcaga aaagtcaggt tggagggaaa 1500 cgttttgaat gtaaggactg tggagagacc ttcaataaga gtgccgcctt ggctgaacat 1560 cggaagattc atgctagagg ttatcttgtg gaatgtaaga atcaggaatg tgaggaagcc 1620 ttcatgccta gccccacctt tagtgagctt cagaaaatat atggcaaaga caaattctac 1680 gagtgcaggg tgtgtaagga aaccttcctt catagttctg ccctgattga gcaccagaaa 1740 atccactttg gggatgacaa agataatgag cgtgaacatg aacgtgaacg tgaacgtgag 1800 cgcggggaaa cctttaggcc cagcccagcc cttaatgagt ttcagaaaat gtatggtaaa 1860 gagaaaatgt acgaatgtaa ggtgtgtggg gagactttcc ttcatagctc atccctgaaa 1920 gaacatcaga aaatccatac tagagggaac ccatttgaaa acaagggtaa agtgtgtgag 1980 gaaaccttta ttcctggtca gtcccttaaa aggcgtcaga aaacttacaa taaggagaag 2040 ctctgtgact ttacagatgg ccgggatgcc ttcatgcaaa gctcagagct cagtgagcat 2100 cagaaaattc attctcgaaa gaacctcttt gaaggcagag ggtatgagaa atctgtcatt 2160 catagtgggc cattcactga atctcagaag agtcatacta taacaagacc tcttgaaagt 2220 gatgaggacg aaaaggcgtt caccattagc tctaacccct atgaaaacca gaagattccc 2280 actaaggaaa atgtctatga ggcaaaatca tatgagaggt ctgttattca tagcttagcc 2340 tctgtggaag ctcagaaaag tcacagtgta gcagggccca gtaaaccaaa agtaatggca 2400 gagtctacca ttcagagctt cgatgctatc aaccatcaga gagttcgtgc tggagggaac 2460 acctctgaag gaagggaata cagtaggtct gttatccata gcttagtggc ttccaaacct 2520 ccaagaagtc acaatggaaa tgaattggtg gaatctaatg agaagggaga atcctccatt 2580 tatatctcag accttaatga taagcgacag aagattcctg ccagagagaa cccttgtgaa 2640 gggggcagta agaatcgcaa ctatgaagac tctgtcatac agagtgtatt ccgtgccaaa 2700 cctcagaaaa gtgttcctgg agagggatct ggtgagttta agaaggatgg cgaattctct 2760 gttcccagct caaatgtccg tgaataccag aaggctcgtg ctaaaaagaa atacattgag 2820 cataggagca atgagacctc tgtaattcac tctctgcctt ttggtgaaca aacatttcgc 2880 cctcgaggga tgctctatga atgtcaggag tgtggggagt gctttgctca tagctctgac 2940 ctcactgagc accagaagat tcatgatagg gagaagccct ctggaagcag aaactatgaa 3000 tggtctgtca ttcgcagctt ggcccctact gaccctcaaa caagttacgc ccaagagcag 3060 tatgctaaag agcaagcgcg gaacaaatgt aaggacttca gacaattttt tgctaccagc 3120 gaagacctca acacaaacca gaaaatctat gaccaagaga agtctcatgg cgaggagtct 3180 caaggcgaga atactgatgg ggaggagacc cacagcgagg agacccatgg tcaggagaca 3240 attgaagacc ctgtcattca aggctcagac atggaagacc ctcagaagga tgaccctgat 3300 gacaaaatct atgaatgtga ggactgtggc ctgggctttg tggatctcac agacctcaca 3360 gaccatcaga aagtccacag caggaagtgc ctggttgaca gtcgggagta cacacattct 3420 gtaattcaca cccattccat cagcgagtat cagagagatt acactggaga gcagctgtat 3480 gaatgtccaa agtgtgggga atcttttatt catagctcat tccttttcga gcatcagaga 3540 atccatgaac aagaccagtt gtattccatg aaggggtgtg atgatggttt tattgccctc 3600 ttgcccatga agccacggag gaatcgtgct gcagagagga atcctgctct tgctgggtcg 3660 gccattcgat gccttttgtg tggacaaggc ttcattcata gctctgccct taatgagcat 3720 atgagacttc atagggaaga tgatttactg gagcagagcc agatggctga ggaagctatc 3780 attccaggct tagccctcac tgagtttcag agaagtcaga ccgaagagag actctttgaa 3840 tgtgcagtct gtggagaatc tttcgtcaac ccagcagaac ttgcagatca cgtaactgtt 3900 cataagaatg agccctatga gtacgggtcc tcctatactc acacctcatt tcttactgag 3960 cccctcaaag gagctatacc attctatgaa tgcaaggatt gtggtaagtc ctttattcat 4020 agcacagtcc tcactaaaca taaggagctt catctggaag aagaagaaga agatgaagca 4080 gcagcagctg cagcagcagc agcccaggaa gttgaagcca atgtccatgt tccacaagta 4140 gttctgagga ttcagggctt aaacgtagag gctgctgagc cagaagtgga ggctgccgag 4200 ccagaagtgg aggctgctga gccagaagtg gaggctgctg agccaaacgg agaggctgaa 4260 gggccagatg gagaggctgc agagcccatt ggagaggctg gacagccaaa tggagaggcc 4320 gagcagccaa atggggatgc tgatgagcca gatggtgcag gtattgaaga cccagaagaa 4380 agagctgaag agccagaggg aaaagctgaa gagccagagg gagatgccga cgagcctgac 4440 ggtgtgggaa ttgaagaccc agaagaaggt gaagatcaag agattcaggt agaagaacca 4500 tactatgact gccatgaatg cacagaaacc ttcacttcca gcacagcatt cagtgaacac 4560 ctgaaaactc atgccagcat gatcatattt gagcctgcaa atgcctttgg ggagtgctca 4620 ggctacatcg aacgtgccag caccagcaca ggtggtgcca atcaagctga tgagaagtac 4680 ttcaaatgtg acgtctgtgg gcagctcttc aatgaccgcc tgtccctcgc cagacaccag 4740 aatacccaca ctggctga 4758 10 1464 PRT Homo sapiens 10 Met Tyr Gln Pro Glu Asp Asp Asn Asn Ser Asp Val Thr Ser Asp Asp 1 5 10 15 Asp Met Thr Arg Asn Arg Arg Glu Ser Ser Pro Pro His Ser Val His 20 25 30 Ser Phe Ser Gly Asp Arg Asp Trp Asp Arg Arg Gly Arg Ser Arg Asp 35 40 45 Met Glu Pro Arg Asp Arg Trp Ser His Thr Arg Asn Pro Arg Ser Arg 50 55 60 Met Pro Pro Arg Asp Leu Ser Leu Pro Val Val Ala Lys Thr Ser Phe 65 70 75 80 Glu Met Asp Arg Glu Asp Asp Arg Asp Ser Arg Ala Tyr Glu Ser Arg 85 90 95 Ser Gln Asp Ala Glu Ser Tyr Gln Asn Val Val Asp Leu Ala Glu Asp 100 105 110 Arg Lys Pro His Asn Thr Ile Gln Asp Asn Met Glu Asn Tyr Arg Lys 115 120 125 Leu Leu Ser Leu Gly Val Gln Leu Ala Glu Asp Asp Gly His Ser His 130 135 140 Met Thr Gln Gly His Ser Ser Arg Ser Lys Arg Ser Ala Tyr Pro Ser 145 150 155 160 Thr Ser Arg Gly Leu Lys Thr Met Pro Glu Ala Lys Lys Ser Thr His 165 170 175 Arg Arg Gly Ile Cys Glu Asp Glu Ser Ser His Gly Val Ile Met Glu 180 185 190 Lys Phe Ile Lys Asp Val Ser Arg Ser Ser Lys Ser Gly Arg Ala Arg 195 200 205 Glu Ser Ser Asp Arg Ser Gln Arg Phe Pro Arg Met Ser Asp Asp Asn 210 215 220 Trp Lys Asp Ile Ser Leu Asn Lys Arg Glu Ser Val Ile Gln Gln Arg 225 230 235 240 Val Tyr Glu Gly Asn Ala Phe Arg Gly Gly Phe Arg Phe Asn Ser Thr 245 250 255 Leu Val Ser Arg Lys Arg Val Leu Glu Arg Lys Arg Arg Tyr His Phe 260 265 270 Asp Thr Asp Gly Lys Gly Ser Ile His Asp Gln Lys Gly Cys Pro Arg 275 280 285 Lys Lys Pro Phe Glu Cys Gly Ser Glu Met Arg Lys Ala Met Ser Val 290 295 300 Ser Ser Leu Ser Ser Leu Ser Ser Pro Ser Phe Thr Glu Ser Gln Pro 305 310 315 320 Ile Asp Phe Gly Ala Met Pro Tyr Val Cys Asp Glu Cys Gly Arg Ser 325 330 335 Phe Ser Val Ile Ser Glu Phe Val Glu His Gln Ile Met His Thr Arg 340 345 350 Glu Asn Leu Tyr Glu Tyr Gly Glu Ser Phe Ile His Ser Val Ala Val 355 360 365 Ser Glu Val Gln Lys Ser Gln Val Gly Gly Lys Arg Phe Glu Cys Lys 370 375 380 Asp Cys Gly Glu Thr Phe Asn Lys Ser Ala Ala Leu Ala Glu His Arg 385 390 395 400 Lys Ile His Ala Arg Gly Tyr Leu Val Glu Cys Lys Asn Gln Glu Cys 405 410 415 Glu Glu Ala Phe Met Pro Ser Pro Thr Phe Ser Glu Leu Gln Lys Ile 420 425 430 Tyr Gly Lys Asp Lys Phe Tyr Glu Cys Arg Val Cys Lys Glu Thr Phe 435 440 445 Leu His Ser Ser Ala Leu Ile Glu His Gln Lys Ile His Phe Gly Asp 450 455 460 Asp Lys Asp Asn Glu Arg Glu His Glu Arg Glu Arg Glu Arg Glu Arg 465 470 475 480 Gly Glu Thr Phe Arg Pro Ser Pro Ala Leu Asn Glu Phe Gln Lys Met 485 490 495 Tyr Gly Lys Glu Lys Met Tyr Glu Cys Lys Val Cys Gly Glu Thr Phe 500 505 510 Leu His Ser Ser Ser Leu Lys Glu His Gln Lys Ile His Thr Arg Gly 515 520 525 Asn Pro Phe Glu Asn Lys Gly Lys Val Cys Glu Glu Thr Phe Ile Pro 530 535 540 Gly Gln Ser Leu Lys Arg Arg Gln Lys Thr Tyr Asn Lys Glu Lys Leu 545 550 555 560 Cys Asp Phe Thr Asp Gly Arg Asp Ala Phe Met Gln Ser Ser Glu Leu 565 570 575 Ser Glu His Gln Lys Ile His Ser Arg Lys Asn Leu Phe Glu Gly Arg 580 585 590 Gly Tyr Glu Lys Ser Val Ile His Ser Gly Pro Phe Thr Glu Ser Gln 595 600 605 Lys Ser His Thr Ile Thr Arg Pro Leu Glu Ser Asp Glu Asp Glu Lys 610 615 620 Ala Phe Thr Ile Ser Ser Asn Pro Tyr Glu Asn Gln Lys Ile Pro Thr 625 630 635 640 Lys Glu Asn Val Tyr Glu Ala Lys Ser Tyr Glu Arg Ser Val Ile His 645 650 655 Ser Leu Ala Ser Val Glu Ala Gln Lys Ser His Ser Val Ala Gly Pro 660 665 670 Ser Lys Pro Lys Val Met Ala Glu Ser Thr Ile Gln Ser Phe Asp Ala 675 680 685 Ile Asn His Gln Arg Val Arg Ala Gly Gly Asn Thr Ser Glu Gly Arg 690 695 700 Glu Tyr Ser Arg Ser Val Ile His Ser Leu Val Ala Ser Lys Pro Pro 705 710 715 720 Arg Ser His Asn Gly Asn Glu Leu Val Glu Ser Asn Glu Lys Gly Glu 725 730 735 Ser Ser Ile Tyr Ile Ser Asp Leu Asn Asp Lys Arg Gln Lys Ile Pro 740 745 750 Ala Arg Glu Asn Pro Cys Glu Gly Gly Ser Lys Asn Arg Asn Tyr Glu 755 760 765 Asp Ser Val Ile Gln Ser Val Phe Arg Ala Lys Pro Gln Lys Ser Val 770 775 780 Pro Gly Glu Gly Ser Gly Glu Phe Lys Lys Asp Gly Glu Phe Ser Val 785 790 795 800 Pro Ser Ser Asn Val Arg Glu Tyr Gln Lys Ala Arg Ala Lys Lys Lys 805 810 815 Tyr Ile Glu His Arg Ser Asn Glu Thr Ser Val Ile His Ser Leu Pro 820 825 830 Phe Gly Glu Gln Thr Phe Arg Pro Arg Gly Met Leu Tyr Glu Cys Gln 835 840 845 Glu Cys Gly Glu Cys Phe Ala His Ser Ser Asp Leu Thr Glu His Gln 850 855 860 Lys Ile His Asp Arg Glu Lys Pro Ser Gly Ser Arg Asn Tyr Glu Trp 865 870 875 880 Ser Val Ile Arg Ser Leu Ala Pro Thr Asp Pro Gln Thr Ser Tyr Ala 885 890 895 Gln Glu Gln Tyr Ala Lys Glu Gln Ala Arg Asn Lys Cys Lys Asp Phe 900 905 910 Arg Gln Phe Phe Ala Thr Ser Glu Asp Leu Asn Thr Asn Gln Lys Ile 915 920 925 Tyr Asp Gln Glu Lys Ser His Gly Glu Glu Ser Gln Gly Glu Asn Thr 930 935 940 Asp Gly Glu Glu Thr His Ser Glu Glu Thr His Gly Gln Glu Thr Ile 945 950 955 960 Glu Asp Pro Val Ile Gln Gly Ser Asp Met Glu Asp Pro Gln Lys Asp 965 970 975 Asp Pro Asp Asp Lys Ile Tyr Glu Cys Glu Asp Cys Gly Leu Gly Phe 980 985 990 Val Asp Leu Thr Asp Leu Thr Asp His Gln Lys Val His Ser Arg Lys 995 1000 1005 Cys Leu Val Asp Ser Arg Glu Tyr Thr His Ser Val Ile His Thr His 1010 1015 1020 Ser Ile Ser Glu Tyr Gln Arg Asp Tyr Thr Gly Glu Gln Leu Tyr Glu 1025 1030 1035 1040 Cys Pro Lys Cys Gly Glu Ser Phe Ile His Ser Ser Phe Leu Phe Glu 1045 1050 1055 His Gln Arg Ile His Glu Gln Asp Gln Leu Tyr Ser Met Lys Gly Cys 1060 1065 1070 Asp Asp Gly Phe Ile Ala Leu Leu Pro Met Lys Pro Arg Arg Asn Arg 1075 1080 1085 Ala Ala Glu Arg Asn Pro Ala Leu Ala Gly Ser Ala Ile Arg Cys Leu 1090 1095 1100 Leu Cys Gly Gln Gly Phe Ile His Ser Ser Ala Leu Asn Glu His Met 1105 1110 1115 1120 Arg Leu His Arg Glu Asp Asp Leu Leu Glu Gln Ser Gln Met Ala Glu 1125 1130 1135 Glu Ala Ile Ile Pro Gly Leu Ala Leu Thr Glu Phe Gln Arg Ser Gln 1140 1145 1150 Thr Glu Glu Arg Leu Phe Glu Cys Ala Val Cys Gly Glu Ser Phe Val 1155 1160 1165 Asn Pro Ala Glu Leu Ala Asp His Val Thr Val His Lys Asn Glu Pro 1170 1175 1180 Tyr Glu Tyr Gly Ser Ser Tyr Thr His Thr Ser Phe Leu Thr Glu Pro 1185 1190 1195 1200 Leu Lys Gly Ala Ile Pro Phe Tyr Glu Cys Lys Asp Cys Gly Lys Ser 1205 1210 1215 Phe Ile His Ser Thr Val Leu Thr Lys His Lys Glu Leu His Leu Glu 1220 1225 1230 Glu Glu Glu Glu Asp Glu Ala Ala Ala Ala Ala Ala Ala Ala Ala Gln 1235 1240 1245 Glu Val Glu Ala Asn Val His Val Pro Gln Val Val Leu Arg Ile Gln 1250 1255 1260 Gly Leu Asn Val Glu Ala Ala Glu Pro Glu Val Glu Ala Ala Glu Pro 1265 1270 1275 1280 Glu Val Glu Ala Ala Glu Pro Glu Val Glu Ala Ala Glu Pro Asn Gly 1285 1290 1295 Glu Ala Glu Gly Pro Asp Gly Glu Ala Ala Glu Pro Ile Gly Glu Ala 1300 1305 1310 Gly Gln Pro Asn Gly Glu Ala Glu Gln Pro Asn Gly Asp Ala Asp Glu 1315 1320 1325 Pro Asp Gly Ala Gly Ile Glu Asp Pro Glu Glu Arg Ala Glu Glu Pro 1330 1335 1340 Glu Gly Lys Ala Glu Glu Pro Glu Gly Asp Ala Asp Glu Pro Asp Gly 1345 1350 1355 1360 Val Gly Ile Glu Asp Pro Glu Glu Gly Glu Asp Gln Glu Ile Gln Val 1365 1370 1375 Glu Glu Pro Tyr Tyr Asp Cys His Glu Cys Thr Glu Thr Phe Thr Ser 1380 1385 1390 Ser Thr Ala Phe Ser Glu His Leu Lys Thr His Ala Ser Met Ile Ile 1395 1400 1405 Phe Glu Pro Ala Asn Ala Phe Gly Glu Cys Ser Gly Tyr Ile Glu Arg 1410 1415 1420 Ala Ser Thr Ser Thr Gly Gly Ala Asn Gln Ala Asp Glu Lys Tyr Phe 1425 1430 1435 1440 Lys Cys Asp Val Cys Gly Gln Leu Phe Asn Asp Arg Leu Ser Leu Ala 1445 1450 1455 Arg His Gln Asn Thr His Thr Gly 1460 11 1159 DNA Homo sapiens 11 accaaccaga agacgacaac aacagtgacg tgaccagtga cgacgacatg acccggaaca 60 gaagagagtc ctcaccacct cactcagtcc attctttcag tggtgaccgg gactgggacc 120 ggaggggcag aagcagagac atggagccac gagaccgctg gtcccacacc aggaacccaa 180 gaagcaggat gcctccgcgg gatctttccc ttcctgtggt ggcgaaaaca agctttgaaa 240 tggacagaga ggacgacagg gactccaggg cttatgagtc ccgatctcag gatgctgaat 300 cataccaaaa tgtggtggac ctcgctgagg acaggaaacc tcacaacaca atccaggaca 360 acatggaaaa ctacaggaag ctgctctccc tcggagtgca gcttgctgaa gacgatggcc 420 actcccacat gacgcagggc cactcatcaa gatccaagag aagtgcctac ccaagcacca 480 gtcgaggtct aaaaactatg cctgaagcca aaaaatcaac ccaccggcgg gggatttgtg 540 aagatgaatc ttcccacgga gtgataatgg aaaaattcat caaggatgtg tcacgcagtt 600 ccaaatcggg aagagcaagg gagtcaagcg accggtcaca gagattcccc agaatgtcag 660 atgataactg gaaggacatt tcattgaaca agagggagtc agtgatccag cagcgggttt 720 atgaagggaa tgcatttagg ggaggcttta ggtttaattc aacccttgtt tccagaaaga 780 gagttcttga aagaaagagg cgctatcatt ttgacacaga tgggaagggc tcgattcacg 840 atcaaaaagg ctgtcccagg aagaagccct ttgaatgtgg tagtgagatg agaaaagcca 900 tgagcgtgag cagcctgagc agcctcagct ccccctcctt taccgagtca cagccaattg 960 attttggggc aatgccatat gtatgtgatg agtgtgggag gtcgttcagt gtcatctcag 1020 aatttgttga gcaccagatc atgcatacta gagagaacct ctatgagtat ggtgagtcct 1080 ttatccacag tgtggctgtc agtgaagttc agaaaagtca ggttggaggg aaacgttttg 1140 aatgtaagga ctgtggaga 1159 12 388 PRT Homo sapiens 12 Gln Pro Glu Asp Asp Asn Asn Ser Asp Val Thr Ser Asp Asp Asp Met 1 5 10 15 Thr Arg Asn Arg Arg Glu Ser Ser Pro Pro His Ser Val His Ser Phe 20 25 30 Ser Gly Asp Arg Asp Trp Asp Arg Arg Gly Arg Ser Arg Asp Met Glu 35 40 45 Pro Arg Asp Arg Trp Ser His Thr Arg Asn Pro Arg Ser Arg Met Pro 50 55 60 Pro Arg Asp Leu Ser Leu Pro Val Val Ala Lys Thr Ser Phe Glu Met 65 70 75 80 Asp Arg Glu Asp Asp Arg Asp Ser Arg Ala Tyr Glu Ser Arg Ser Gln 85 90 95 Asp Ala Glu Ser Tyr Gln Asn Val Val Asp Leu Ala Glu Asp Arg Lys 100 105 110 Pro His Asn Thr Ile Gln Asp Asn Met Glu Asn Tyr Arg Lys Leu Leu 115 120 125 Ser Leu Gly Val Gln Leu Ala Glu Asp Asp Gly His Ser His Met Thr 130 135 140 Gln Gly His Ser Ser Arg Ser Lys Arg Ser Ala Tyr Pro Ser Thr Ser 145 150 155 160 Arg Gly Leu Lys Thr Met Pro Glu Ala Lys Lys Ser Thr His Arg Arg 165 170 175 Gly Ile Cys Glu Asp Glu Ser Ser His Gly Val Ile Met Glu Lys Phe 180 185 190 Ile Lys Asp Val Ser Arg Ser Ser Lys Ser Gly Arg Ala Arg Glu Ser 195 200 205 Ser Asp Arg Ser Gln Arg Phe Pro Arg Met Ser Asp Asp Asn Trp Lys 210 215 220 Asp Ile Ser Leu Asn Lys Arg Glu Ser Val Ile Gln Gln Arg Val Tyr 225 230 235 240 Glu Gly Asn Ala Phe Arg Gly Gly Phe Arg Phe Asn Ser Thr Leu Val 245 250 255 Ser Arg Lys Arg Val Leu Glu Arg Lys Arg Arg Tyr His Phe Asp Thr 260 265 270 Asp Gly Lys Gly Ser Ile His Asp Gln Lys Gly Cys Pro Arg Lys Lys 275 280 285 Pro Phe Glu Cys Gly Ser Glu Met Arg Lys Ala Met Ser Val Ser Ser 290 295 300 Leu Ser Ser Leu Ser Ser Pro Ser Phe Thr Glu Ser Gln Pro Ile Asp 305 310 315 320 Phe Gly Ala Met Pro Tyr Val Cys Asp Glu Cys Gly Arg Ser Phe Ser 325 330 335 Val Ile Ser Glu Phe Val Glu His Gln Ile Met His Thr Arg Glu Asn 340 345 350 Leu Tyr Glu Tyr Gly Glu Ser Phe Ile His Ser Val Ala Val Ser Glu 355 360 365 Val Gln Lys Ser Gln Val Gly Gly Lys Arg Phe Glu Cys Lys Asp Cys 370 375 380 Gly Glu Asn Ser 385 13 93 DNA Homo sapiens 13 gagtgcagct tgctgaagac gatggccact cccacatgac gcagggccac tcatcaagat 60 ccaagagaag tgcctaccca agcaccagtc gag 93 14 30 PRT Homo sapiens 14 Val Gln Leu Ala Glu Asp Asp Gly His Ser His Met Thr Gln Gly His 1 5 10 15 Ser Ser Arg Ser Lys Arg Ser Ala Tyr Pro Ser Thr Ser Arg 20 25 30 15 1173 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequence cDNA sequence as a result of cDNA cloning, including the EcoRI linker sequence 15 ggaattctct ccacagtcct tacattcaaa acgtttccct ccaacctgac ttttctgaac 60 ttcactgaca gccacactgt ggataaagga ctcaccatac tcatagaggt tctctctagt 120 atgcatgatc tggtgctcaa caaattctga gatgacactg aacgacctcc cacactcatc 180 acatacatat ggcattgccc caaaatcaat tggctgtgac tcggtaaagg agggggagct 240 gaggctgctc aggctgctca cgctcatggc ttttctcatc tcactaccac attcaaaggg 300 cttcttcctg ggacagcctt tttgatcgtg aatcgagccc ttcccatctg tgtcaaaatg 360 atagcgcctc tttctttcaa gaactctctt tctggaaaca agggttgaat taaacctaaa 420 gcctccccta aatgcattcc cttcataaac ccgctgctgg atcactgact ccctcttgtt 480 caatgaaatg tccttccagt tatcatctga cattctgggg aatctctgtg accggtcgct 540 tgactccctt gctcttcccg atttggaact gcgtgacaca tccttgatga atttttccat 600 tatcactccg tgggaagatt catcttcaca aatcccccgc cggtgggttg attttttggc 660 ttcaggcata gtttttagac ctcgactggt gcttgggtag gcacttctct tggatcttga 720 tgagtggccc tgcgtcatgt gggagtggcc atcgtcttca gcaagctgca ctccgaggga 780 gagcagcttc ctgtagtttt ccatgttgtc ctggattgtg ttgtgaggtt tcctgtcctc 840 agcgaggtcc accacatttt ggtatgattc agcatcctga gatcgggact cataagccct 900 ggagtccctg tcgtcctctc tgtccatttc aaagcttgtt ttcgccacca caggaaggga 960 aagatcccgc ggaggcatcc tgcttcttgg gttcctggtg tgggaccagc ggtctcgtgg 1020 ctccatgtct ctgcttctgc ccctccggtc ccagtcccgg tcaccactga aagaatggac 1080 tgagtgaggt ggtgaggact ctcttctgtt ccgggtcatg tcgtcgtcac tggtcacgtc 1140 actgttgttg tcgtcttctg gttggtgaat tcg 1173 16 830 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequence cDNA clone, including EcoRI linker sequence 16 ggaattctct ccacagtcct tacattcaaa acgtttccct ccaacctgac ttttctgaac 60 ttcactgaca gccacactgt ggataaagga ctcaccatac tcatagaggt tctctctagt 120 atgcatgatc tggtgctcaa caaattctga gatgacactg aacgacctcc cacactcatc 180 acatacatat ggcattgccc caaaatcaat tggctgtgac tcggtaaagg agggggagct 240 gaggctgctc aggctgctca cgctcatggc ttttctcatc tcactaccac attcaaaggg 300 cttcttcctg ggacagcctt tttgatcgtg aatcgagccc ttcccatctg tgtcaaaatg 360 atagcgcctc tttctttcaa gaactctctt tctggaaaca agggttgaat taaacctaaa 420 gcctccccta aatgcattcc cttcataaac ccgctgctgg atcactgact ccctcttgtt 480 caatgaaatg tccttccagt tatcatctga cattctgggg aatctctgtg accggtcgct 540 tgactccctt gctcttcccg atttggaact gcgtgacaca tccttgatga atttttccat 600 tatcactccg tgggaagatt catcttcaca aatcccccgc cggtgggttg attttttggc 660 ttcaggcata gtttttagac ctcgactggt gcttgggtag gcacttctct tggatcttga 720 tgagtggccc tgcgtcatgt gggagtggcc atcgtcttca gcaagctgca ctccgaggga 780 gagcagcttc ctgtagtttt ccatgttgtc ctggattgtg ttgtgaggtt 830 17 851 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequence cDNA clone, including EcoRI linker sequence 17 ggaattctct ccacagtcct tacattcaaa acgtttccct ccaacctgac ttttctgaac 60 ttcactgaca gccacactgt ggataaagga ctcaccatac tcatagaggt tctctctagt 120 atgcatgatc tggtgctcaa caaattctga gatgacactg aacgacctcc cacactcatc 180 acatacatat ggcattgccc caaaatcaat tggctgtgac tcggtaaagg agggggagct 240 gaggctgctc aggctgctca cgctcatggc ttttctcatc tcactaccac attcaaaggg 300 cttcttcctg ggacagcctt tttgatcgtg aatcgagccc ttcccatctg tgtcaaaatg 360 atagcgcctc tttctttcaa gaactctctt tctggaaaca agggttgaat taaacctaaa 420 gcctccccta aatgcattcc cttcataaac ccgctgctgg atcactgact ccctcttgtt 480 caatgaaatg tccttccagt tatcatctga cattctgggg aatctctgtg accggtcgct 540 tgactccctt gctcttcccg atttggaact gcgtgacaca tccttgatga atttttccat 600 tatcactccg tgggaagatt catcttcaca aatcccccgc cggtgggttg attttttggc 660 ttcaggcata gtttttagac ctcgactggt gcttgggtag gcacttctct tggatcttga 720 tgagtggccc tgcgtcatgt gggagtggcc atcgtcttca gcaagctgca ctccgaggga 780 gagcagcttc ctgtagtttt ccatgttgtc ctggattgtg ttgtgaggtt tcctgtcctc 840 agcgaggtcc a 851 18 853 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequence cDNA clone, including EcoRI linker sequence 18 ggaattctct ccacagtcct tacattcaaa acgtttccct ccaacctgac ttttctgaac 60 ttcactgaca gccacactgt ggataaagga ctcaccatac tcatagaggt tctctctagt 120 atgcatgatc tggtgctcaa caaattctga gatgacactg aacgacctcc cacactcatc 180 acatacatat ggcattgccc caaaatcaat tggctgtgac tcggtaaagg agggggagct 240 gaggctgctc aggctgctca cgctcatggc ttttctcatc tcactaccac attcaaaggg 300 cttcttcctg ggacagcctt tttgatcgtg aatcgagccc ttcccatctg tgtcaaaatg 360 atagcgcctc tttctttcaa gaactctctt tctggaaaca agggttgaat taaacctaaa 420 gcctccccta aatgcattcc cttcataaac ccgctgctgg atcactgact ccctcttgtt 480 caatgaaatg tccttccagt tatcatctga cattctgggg aatctctgtg accggtcgct 540 tgactccctt gctcttcccg atttggaact gcgtgacaca tccttgatga atttttccat 600 tatcactccg tgggaagatt catcttcaca aatcccccgc cggtgggttg attttttggc 660 ttcaggcata gtttttagac ctcgactggt gcttgggtag gcacttctct tggatcttga 720 tgagtggccc tgcgtcatgt gggagtggcc atcgtcttca gcaagctgca ctccgaggga 780 gagcagcttc ctgtagtttt ccatgttgtc ctggattgtg ttgtgaggtt tcctgtcctc 840 agcgaggtcc acc 853 19 858 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequence cDNA clone, including EcoRI linker sequence 19 ggaattctct ccacagtcct tacattcaaa acgtttccct ccaacctgac ttttctgaac 60 ttcactgaca gccacactgt ggataaagga ctcaccatac tcatagaggt tctctctagt 120 atgcatgatc tggtgctcaa caaattctga gatgacactg aacgacctcc cacactcatc 180 acatacatat ggcattgccc caaaatcaat tggctgtgac tcggtaaagg agggggagct 240 gaggctgctc aggctgctca cgctcatggc ttttctcatc tcactaccac attcaaaggg 300 cttcttcctg ggacagcctt tttgatcgtg aatcgagccc ttcccatctg tgtcaaaatg 360 atagcgcctc tttctttcaa gaactctctt tctggaaaca agggttgaat taaacctaaa 420 gcctccccta aatgcattcc cttcataaac ccgctgctgg atcactgact ccctcttgtt 480 caatgaaatg tccttccagt tatcatctga cattctgggg aatctctgtg accggtcgct 540 tgactccctt gctcttcccg atttggaact gcgtgacaca tccttgatga atttttccat 600 tatcactccg tgggaagatt catcttcaca aatcccccgc cggtgggttg attttttggc 660 ttcaggcata gtttttagac ctcgactggt gcttgggtag gcacttctct tggatcttga 720 tgagtggccc tgcgtcatgt gggagtggcc atcgtcttca gcaagctgca ctccgaggga 780 gagcagcttc ctgtagtttt ccatgttgtc ctggattgtg ttgtgaggtt tcctgtcctc 840 agcgaggtcc accacatt 858 20 863 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequence cDNA clone, including EcoRI linker sequence 20 ggacagcctt tttgatcgtg aatcgagccc ttcccatctg tgtcaaaatg atagcgcctc 60 tttctttcaa gaactctctt tctggaaaca agggttgaat taaacctaaa gcctccccta 120 aatgcattcc cttcataaac ccgctgctgg atcactgact ccctcttgtt caatgaaatg 180 tccttccagt tatcatctga cattctgggg aatctctgtg accggtcgct tgactccctt 240 gctcttcccg atttggaact gcgtgacaca tccttgatga atttttccat tatcactccg 300 tgggaagatt catcttcaca aatcccccgc cggtgggttg attttttggc ttcaggcata 360 gtttttagac ctcgactggt gcttgggtag gcacttctct tggatcttga tgagtggccc 420 tgcgtcatgt gggagtggcc atcgtcttca gcaagctgca ctccgaggga gagcagcttc 480 ctgtagtttt ccatgttgtc ctggattgtg ttgtgaggtt tcctgtcctc agcgaggtcc 540 accacatttt ggtatgattc agcatcctga gatcgggact cataagccct ggagtccctg 600 tcgtcctctc tgtccatttc aaagcttgtt ttcgccacca caggaaggga aagatcccgc 660 ggaggcatcc tgcttcttgg gttcctggtg tgggaccagc ggtctcgtgg ctccatgtct 720 ctgcttctgc ccctccggtc ccagtcccgg tcaccactga aagaatggac tgagtgaggt 780 ggtgaggact ctcttctgtt ccgggtcatg tcgtcgtcac tggtcacgtc actgttgttg 840 tcgtcttctg gttggtgaat tcg 863 21 857 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequence cDNA clone, including EcoRI linker sequence 21 cctttttgat cgtgaatcga gcccttccca tctgtgtcaa aatgatagcg cctctttctt 60 tcaagaactc tctttctgga aacaagggtt gaattaaacc taaagcctcc cctaaatgca 120 ttcccttcat aaacccgctg ctggatcact gactccctct tgttcaatga aatgtccttc 180 cagttatcat ctgacattct ggggaatctc tgtgaccggt cgcttgactc ccttgctctt 240 cccgatttgg aactgcgtga cacatccttg atgaattttt ccattatcac tccgtgggaa 300 gattcatctt cacaaatccc ccgccggtgg gttgattttt tggcttcagg catagttttt 360 agacctcgac tggtgcttgg gtaggcactt ctcttggatc ttgatgagtg gccctgcgtc 420 atgtgggagt ggccatcgtc ttcagcaagc tgcactccga gggagagcag cttcctgtag 480 ttttccatgt tgtcctggat tgtgttgtga ggtttcctgt cctcagcgag gtccaccaca 540 ttttggtatg attcagcatc ctgagatcgg gactcataag ccctggagtc cctgccgtcc 600 tctctgtcca tttcaaagct tgttttcgcc accacaggaa gggaaagatc ccgcggaggc 660 atcctgcttc ttgggttcct ggtgtgggac cagcggtctc gtggctccat gtctctgctt 720 ctgcccctcc ggtcccagtc ccggtcacca ctgaaagaat ggactgagtg aggtggtgag 780 gactctcttc tgttccgggt catgtcgtcg tcactggtca cgtcactgtt gttgtcgtct 840 tctggttggt gaattcg 857 22 855 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequence cDNA clone, including EcoRI linker sequence 22 tttttgatcg tgaatcgagc ccttcccatc tgtgtcaaaa tgatagcgcc tctttctttc 60 aagaactctc tttctggaaa caagggttga attaaaccta aagcctcccc taaatgcatt 120 cccttcataa acccgctgct ggatcactga ctccctcttg ttcaatgaaa tgtccttcca 180 gttatcatct gacattctgg ggaatctctg tgaccggtcg cttgactccc ttgctcttcc 240 cgatttggaa ctgcgtgaca catccttgat gaatttttcc attatcactc cgtgggaaga 300 ttcatcttca caaatccccc gccggtgggt tgattttttg gcttcaggca tagtttttag 360 acctcgactg gtgcttgggt aggcacttct cttggatctt gatgagtggc cctgcgtcat 420 gtgggagtgg ccatcgtctt cagcaagctg cactccgagg gagagcagct tcctgtagtt 480 ttccatgttg tcctggattg tgttgtgagg tttcctgtcc tcagcgaggt ccaccacatt 540 ttggtatgat tcagcatcct gagatcggga ctcataagcc ctggagtccc tgtcgtcctc 600 tctgtccatt tcaaagcttg ttttcgccac cacaggaagg gaaagatccc gcggaggcat 660 cctgcttctt gggttcctgg tgtgggacca gcggtctcgt ggctccatgt ctctgcttct 720 gcccctccgg tcccagtccc ggtcaccact gaaagaatgg actgagtgag gtggtgagga 780 ctctcttctg ttccgggtca tgtcgtcgtc actggtcacg tcactgttgt tgtcgtcttc 840 tggttggtga attcg 855 23 32 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequence Primer 23 gatcgaattc accaaccaga agacgacaac aa 32 24 32 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequence Primer 24 gatcgaattc tctccacagt ccttacattc aa 32 25 10 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequence EcoRI linker sequence 25 gatcgaattc 10 

We claim:
 1. An isolated cDNA having the sequence of SEQ ID NO:1.
 2. An isolated cDNA fragment of SEQ ID NO:1, said fragment being selected from the group SEQ ID NO:2-8.
 3. An isolated cDNA having the sequence of SEQ ID NO:9.
 4. An isolated cDNA having the sequence of SEQ ID NO:13.
 5. An isolated cDNA encoding the polypeptide sequence of SEQ ID NO:10.
 6. A method of expression of PEG3 protein, said method comprising expressing a nucleic acid encoding SEQ ID NO:9 operably linked to a promoter in a host cell compatible with said promoter.
 7. A method of detection of PEG3 DNA or mRNA in a sample, said method comprising bringing said sample into contact with SEQ ID NO:1 under conditions which allow SEQ ID NO:1 to hybridise to a complementary sequence, and detecting whether or not hybridisation has occurred.
 8. A method of detection of PEG3 DNA or mRNA in a sample, said method comprising bringing said sample into contact with a fragment of SEQ ID NO:1, said fragment comprising at least 15 nucleotide of SEQ ID NO:1, under conditions which allow SEQ ID NO:1 to hybridise to a complementary sequence, and detecting whether or not hybridisation has occurred.
 9. A method for amplifying a portion of the PEG3 cDNA, said method comprising: providing the primer pair of HFL1 (SEQ ID NO:23) and HFL2 (SEQ ID NO:24); bringing said primer pair into contact with a sample of human cDNA; performing a polymerase chain reaction; and recovering said amplified portion of said PEG3.
 10. The method of claim 9 which further comprises inserting said amplified portion into a vector. 